The Other Side
by wingsxwexcantxsee
Summary: A young mother and the Demon of Screamin brought together by the wonderful television phenomena that is American Idol. An unbelievable match made in Rock n' roll heaven. It's wrong, but it feels so right. Read on! Though it's rated M for a reason...
1. Chapter 1

The Other Side  
><em>A fanfiction by wingsxwexcantxsee<em>

**Chapter One**

* * *

><p>"Hi, my name is Brooke Rush, and I'm today is not my day." The interview, like her day, started on a low point.<p>

The American Idol producers looked at Brooke skeptically as she forced a smile for the camera. Around her was a perfect little circle of chaos. There was a dog and a toddler and an IV drip setup attached to the dog, and the toddler was grasping tightly to her mother's leg, smiling bashfully at the camera.

The interviewee didn't look too great, either. She did not look like the other contestants. She was not dressed up, and she wore no makeup. Her blonde hair was tossed up in a messy bun on top of her head, with pieces sticking out. It was obvious she was exhausted.

"I'm 21 years-old, and I'm a licensed veterinary technician from Long Island, New York, and this my 2 year-old daughter Judy." She looked down at her daughter. "Wave, sweetie." The baby took one hand off her mom's leg to wave quickly at the camera. Brooke smiled and ran her fingers through her daughters hair. "There's my girl," she murmured before looking back at the camera.

"And this next to me is a stray that came into work around 3AM this morning. We were about to close up and as you can see he's in pretty bad shape so he couldn't be left there. I had to take him because it was my turn to foster, American Idol audition or not."

She paused and looked at the producers. They asked her to give a back quick back story and explain her day.

"Well like I said, this is my daughter, Judy, she just turned 2 in June, and I had her when I was 19 years-old. I'm a single mom, and my babysitter had to call in sick today so Judy gets to play American Idol too." She smiled weakly. "I feel horrible because I didn't have any time to change or anything, I have to bring a dog and my daughter with me. I swear to God this isn't some stunt to get attention. I just hope that the judges can see past my appearance and my little tag-a-longs and just hear me sing…I want this more than anything in the world. It would mean so much to my family."

The producers turned the camera to Judy and Brooke rolled her eyes while she was off camera. She didn't want her child exploited, which is why she didn't want her here in the first place. _Damn, damn, damn, damn you Jen,_ she thought to herself, cursing her best friend and babysitter.

"Hi Judy!" one of the female workers said in a super-sugary voice that made Brooke want to gag. "What's your mommy here to do today?"

Judy looked at her mom. Brooke forced a smile for her child and nodded. "You can talk to them, you're okay."

Judy waved to the camera again. "Singing," was her one-word reply.

"Does your mommy sing to you all the time?"

"Uh-huh," she mumbled, grasping her mother's leg again.

"And is your mother a good singer?"

Judy nodded again, this time with a big smile. "She sings ah-mazing!" she squeaked, and Brooke laughed, scooping her daughter up to take her out of the spotlight. She didn't want that kind of attention.

"Thank you, sweetie-pie," she said, kissing her daughter's cheek.

The camera moved back to them, and the producer mouthed to Brooke to "Wave goodbye". Brooke smiled and waved.

"Wave baby girl," she murmured to her daughter. "Say goodbye."

"Buh-bye!" Judy squeaked again, waving.

The cameras went off and Brooke thanked the producers. They pointed her in the direction where she would wait for a while.

"Baby girl, you're going to have to walk for a second," she murmured to her daughter. Her daughter grabbed tightly onto her mom's pants and Brooke had to work around her. She slung a diaper bag (which didn't contain any diapers, her daughter was potty-trained, it was filled with juice and crackers and a few things for her patient) over her shoulder and picked up the little dog's carrier in one hand, and managed to scoop her daughter up in the other. She walked down into a large room filled with people.

_Holy crap,_ she thought to herself. _Today is going to be a long fucking day._

**ooo**

_Deep breaths,_ Brooke thought frantically to herself as she looked around the crowded room. _You're here, you've made it._ All around her, people practiced their vocal scales, sang bits of their audition pieces, and some even practiced what looked to be dance routines. It was loud, chaotic, and stressful. Despite the (mostly self-centered) chaos, Brooke still managed to draw attention.

It was the New York auditions for American Idol. And while most were dressed in comfy-casual to some sort of dress-casual attire, Brooke was sitting in the corner with her daughter in her lap, wearing only her scrub pants and undershirt. Her hair still looked a mess, and she wasn't able to get any makeup on her face. It was obvious she was exhausted.

It didn't help that she had set up a small IV drip line in the seat next to her. Occupying that seat was a small, scruffy-looking brown dog. It was lying down in an open-top carrier, looking absolutely pathetic and shaking slightly. At first, it had acquired quite a lot of attention to herself and was approached by many. However, as soon as the IV drip came out, most stayed away.

Brooke had hopelessly tried to enlist the help of a few self-proclaimed "animal lovers" in the group to assist her with the care of her latest patient. However, after two people trying to handle the dog to get attention, and one person nearly throwing the IV bag when Ryan Seacrest walked out, Brooke decided it was best for to handle the situation alone. With some help from the security personnel, she was able to find a thumbtack to hang the bag from, and stole an extra seat so the pup could comfortably lay in her crate without fear of stretching, twisting, or pulling the line out of its arm.

Today was just a bad day, and everything for Brooke was going wrong. She wasn't trying to attract attention with the dog or by having her daughter sit on her lap; she wasn't pulling some stupid stunt to get the judge's sympathy or to get more camera time. She was just doing her job as a mom, and also a veterinary technician. She couldn't leave her daughter with a sick babysitter, and she couldn't trouble a sick babysitter with a rambunctious two year-old. And for the dog, Brooke was more of an animal lover than a passionate singer, so she managed to find a way she could get both done at the same time. The only sacrifice was that forfeited the time she needed to do hair and makeup. So she looked about as scruffy and beat up as her patient.

_At least I don't have my bloody scrub top on… _Brooke thought ruefully to herself. _I don't think they would have let me in the building._

She was extremely lucky that she had been let in at all. She had to sweet-talk a few of the producers and remind them that a few years back one of the contestants had brought in a puppy to try and bribe Simon Cowell into letting her through to Hollywood. After showing multiple pieces of identification and making a call to her boss' personal cell phone, she was let through.

Brooke was terrified. Between work and Judy, her life had become absolutely insane the past few days, and she hadn't been able to get in the practice she needed. She was originally going to audition with a Jason Mraz song, but hadn't even had the time to memorize all the words. So she was stuck in a very tight spot over a song. She knew that when she entered that room she was going to look and sound all sorts of crazy, and that her new song choice would be looked upon as the ultimate cliché.

_I just hope they can judge me on my ability and not my appearance, _she thought to herself frantically, humming the melody of her audition song as she bounced her baby girl on her knee. She bit her lip and tried to give herself a mental pep talk. _You can do it, you can do it, you can do it_. _You were born for this stuff._

"Number 5-0-2-1-2, Brooke Rush?"

"Just a sec," Brooke squeaked. She took a huge, uncomfortable gulp of air. She placed her daughter on the floor, then turned to the dog. She quickly and carefully removed the IV from the stray's leg and closed off the line, wrapping his paw up quickly. She closed over the carrier, put the IV bag in the diaper bag and slung the bag over her shoulder. She scooped her daughter up into her arms and grabbed the carrier.

_Here we go._

She walked up and was met by Ryan Seacrest. She was interviewed briefly—once again having to briefly explain her predicament—in front of the camera before walking into the room. Her knees were shaking and she felt a little nauseous. _I look ridiculous, _she thought to herself hopelessly. _This is going to be so embarrassing._

"Are you Brooke?"

Brooke nodded to Jennifer Lopez and smiled. "Hi guys," she said as she placed the carrier down. She faced the front toward her, just in case she needed to act quickly. If the pup suddenly crashed without the assistance of fluids (even though he seemed pretty hydrated) or if he needed a boost of sugar, it could be fatal. She took off the diaper bag and stood her daughter next to her.

"Well who's this?" Steven Tyler asked, a bright smile on his face. Turning his attention completely to Judy. "Hi cutie!"

"This is my daughter, Judy," Brooke said with an exasperated smile. "Her baby sitter is sick and my parents are on vacation so she had to come with me today. Say hi, Judy!"

"Hi," Judy whisper, hiding her face behind her mom's leg. She waved and poked her head out when the judges said "Hi" in unison. And then all of a sudden, the focus was back on Brooke.

"Is…is that a dog?" Randy Jackson asked. Steven Tyler lowered his glasses onto his nose.

"And that's an outfit we haven't seen yet," he commented. "Nice tanktop."

Brooke flushed deeply and nodded. "I'm so, so sorry, today is not my day," Brooke apologized. "I'm so sorry for showing up dressed like this, and having to bring my daughter _and_ one of my patients into the room," she said quickly. "But she came in just as I was leaving work and because of her I haven't had any time to change or anything, I'm _so _sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about, baby," Jennifer Lopez said sweetly. "What's wrong with the little girl?"

"Yeah, and where do you work?" Randy added.

"I'm a vet tech in a clinic out on the Island," Brooke replied. "We're a partial emergency hospital, and we're open until 3A.M, and I had an overnight shift. This little girl came into the practice off the streets going into shock. She's only a puppy and since she's so small she's at a continuing risk of going into hypoglycemic shock so she needed constant care, and it was my turn to take a foster—American Idol audition or not."

"Poor baby," Jennifer Lopez murmured.

"And how old are you Brooke?" Randy asked.

"Twenty-one," Brooke replied.

"_Nice,_" Steven Tyler commented, gaining raised-eyebrow glances from the other judges.

"Down boy," Randy chuckled.

"What are you going to be singing for us today?" Steven continued, winking at Randy. Brooke blushed again.

"I know this going to seem so cliché` but things at work have been so crazy I wasn't able to practice the song I had _originally _intended to sing, but there is this one song that played four or five times on the radio during work and my drive here…" Brooke realized she was rambling so she stopped herself and took a breath. "I only hope I can do it justice."

"Let's here it!" Jennifer encouraged.

Another deep breath and a last glance down at her patient and Brooke began, starting from one of the later verses of the song: "Lying close to you feeling your heart beating…" she started off slow, soft. "And I'm wondering what you're dreaming, wondering if it's me you're seeing."

The judges smiled, Randy Jackson nodded and Brooke was able to return the gesture as she continued, her voice slowly gaining power and volume as she went from the verse to the chorus: "Then I kiss your eyes and thank God we're together. And I just want to stay with you in this moment forever…_forever and ever_."

She brought a lot out as she sang the chorus, but her focus shifted from the judges to the little dog. She could see her in the carrier looking a little shaky. She kneeled down next to the crate, still singing. Judy took a step closer to her mom, now holding onto her arm. And even though it was meant to be powerful and driving, Brooke went into the next verse quietly as not to scare her pup or hurt her daughter's ear drums.

"I don't wanna miss one smile, I don't wanna miss one kiss…" she sang gently, removing a needle from a side compartment of the carrier. "I just wanna be with you, right here with you, just like this." Brooke withdrew a syringe-full of IV fluid and opened the crate. She then very carefully, still singing, injected 10CCs of LRS fluid in the subcutaneous layer of skin.

"I just wanna hold you close, and feel your heart so close to mine," Brooke then took a tube of "Nutrical" (essentially a sugar-and-honey mixture with a few vitamins tossed in) and squirted it into a little bowl. She gave it to the dog and put her back in the carrier. "And just stay here in this moment for all the rest of time."

She stood back up and gave it all she got, intentionally skipping a verse so she could end the song within her time limit. "I don't wanna close my eyes," she sang, "I don't wanna fall asleep 'coz I'll miss you babe, and I don't wanna miss a thing. 'Coz even when I _dream of you—" _Brooke hit the high note in her chest voice with a sweet gravel tone, smiling with pride that she was able to accomplish it. "The sweetest dream will never do, 'cause I'd still miss you babe, and I don't wanna miss a thing."

She repeated the final chorus, slowing down and softening her tone. "And I don't wanna miss a thing, and I don't wanna miss a thing." She ended and bit her lip. She glanced quickly down at the puppy, who was attempting to lick every last bit of NutriCal off of the dish. Brooke sighed in relief and looked back at the judges.

"I think you just put Steven to shame," Randy chuckled. "That was something else Brooke, you've got a voice on you."

"Thank you so much!" Brooke replied enthusiastically.

"How long have you been singing for?" Jennifer asked.

"Besides into my showerhead at home? Not long at all, I just started singing in front of my family and friends," Brooke replied.

"No formal training?" Randy asked.

Brooke shook her head.

"You could've fooled me," Jennifer replied. "Baby, that was just beautiful. Of course there are a few things that you could do to improve, but—"

"That was the best performance we've heard so far," Steven interjected. "And you kicked my as—oh jeeze—my _butt_ at my own song."

Brooke blushed and thanked them.

"Do we even need a vote?" Randy asked.

"_I _need to know what you were doing with the puppy in the middle of the song," Jennifer inquired instead, being that the vote seemed unanimous.

"I just gave him some fluids and a little bit of a sugar-vitamin mix," Brooke replied. "He looked like he was getting a bit shaky, so I really didn't want to waste time."

The judges nodded. Randy began to say something but Steven interjected. He turned his attention to Judy, who was watching the three strangers skeptically as they spoke with her mother. "Hey Judy-cutie," she said with a big smile. The little girl turned her full attention to Steven. Brooke's heart almost fell out of her chest when she saw Judy smile back at him. "Do you think you could come here for a second? I want to tell you something. He moved out from beside the judges table and kneeled down. Come here."

Brooke helped her daughter off the platform and told her daughter "Go on, go say hello. It's okay." Judy looked at her mom, looked at Steven, smiled, and toddled toward the rockstar.

"Well _hi_ pretty girl," Steven said. "I'm Steven."

"Hi," Judy replied back shyly. "I like your feather."

"And I like your dress!" Steven replied. "You know, you look _just _like your momma, I bet you get all your good looks from her." Brooke smiled to herself and caught Steven's eye as he glanced up at her briefly. He looked back at her daughter, who was giggling, hysterically. "Can you tell your momma something for me? If I told you something could you tell her?"

Brooke was amazed how her daughter reacted to Steven. She watched him whisper something in her ear. "Did you get it?" He asked her. She nodded. "Can I have a hug?" Brooke almost cried when Judy wrapped her arms around Steven and gave him the biggest hug her little arms could. She had never been so comfortable with a stranger, and never so willing to be near a man in her short life.

Judy speed-walked over and Brooke kneeled down. "Mommy!" she exclaimed.

"What?" Brooke asked, genuinely excited.

"Welcome to Hol—Hollyworld!" she exclaimed. Brooke laughed and scooped up her daughter in a tight hug.

"Thank you so, _so_ much!" Brooke said to the judges over her daughter's shoulder. She was smiling from ear to ear, and a tear ran down her cheek. "This means so much."

"Congratulations, Brooke," Steven said. He stood up and walked over to her, arms open. "I give you a lot of respect, you've got a lot of raw talent for 21 years-old with no formal training."

"Thank you," Brooke replied, placing her daughter on the floor and meeting the rock God in an embrace. "I owe it all to you and that beautiful song." Steven chuckled and pulled away, his hands grazing her hips slightly. Brooke's heart skipped a few beats.

"We'll be seeing you," Steven said with small smile. He turned his attention to Judy and waved goodbye. "Bye Judy-cutie, see you soon!" Judy giggled as her mother scooped her up into her arms, and waved to Steven and said "Bye!" excitedly.

"Thank you all, so much!" Brooke said one last time after she had grabbed the dog crate and diaper bag. Judy waved and said goodbye to the judges over her mother's shoulder and Brooke went to leave to claim her 'golden ticket'.

On her way out, Steven Tyler called out: "Look out, look's like a paper is going to fall out of your pocket."

"Oh, thanks!" She stuck her thumb from the hand that was holding the crate in her pocket, pressing whatever paper was in there deeper to prevent her from losing it. She had no idea what it was, and had no memory of a putting paper in her pocket, but she would figure that out later. All she knew was she had her arms full to capacity, and couldn't take the time to see what it was.

Once out of the room, Brooke was ambushed by Ryan Seacrest and the camera crew. Another quick interview and a back story on the puppy and Brooke was on her way out the door.

**ooo**

"Tonight we are young," Brooke sang softly about her apartment. She wanted to belt the words out as loud as she could, but her daughter had just fallen asleep. After a long day at auditions, Brooke was glad she had went to bed without a fuss. So despite her extreme excitement, she sang as softly as she could. "So let's set the world on fire, we can burn brighter than the sun, tonight!" She was practically skipping.

Everything was going good. The puppy had picked up it's energy, and seemed to be regulating her own blood sugar. Brooke's own Chihuahua, Lilo, seemed to not mind her temporary roommate, and was being very good around the puppy. Judy had been an angel the entire day, and was now sleeping peacefully in her room, snuggled up with her favorite teddy bear.

Not to mention, Brooke was _going to Hollywood._ Her head was swimming. She sang around her apartment, finishing up her chores for the day. She was never happier in her life. She had gotten such high praise from the judges, and she got a hug from one of her music idols.

She couldn't resist singing out of a pure joy in the shower. She pretended she was on stage at a huge concert, singing in front of millions of people. Washing her body and hair turned into dance moves. She was completely lost in her own world.

Brooke giggled as she slipped on an old Aerosmith tour shirt over a pair of red boxers. It was a usual pajama combination for her, but tonight it meant so much more. Still singing, she grabbed her scrub bottoms and tanktop and tossed them into the laundry basket. As the scrubs sailed through the air and toward their target, a piece of paper fell out.

Confused, Brooke picked up the paper. It was tightly folded into the smallest retangle. She certainly didn't remember ever doing something like that or writing a note to herself, so she opened it very carefully.

_**Be outside your apartment tomorrow night.  
><strong>__**8 o'clock on the dot. Look sharp.  
><strong>__**I'll show you the other side.  
><strong>__**-ST  
><strong>__**P.S. Judy can come too, if she needs too!**_

Brooke's mouth fell open and her hand shook. _The hug_, she thought to herself. _His hands on my hips…he slipped me the note and then told me to check my pocket!_

What did this all mean? Brooke knew that back in the day, in the prime of Aerosmith, Steven Tyler had quite the reputation. He had been married several times, and had only broken up with his fiancée Erin Brady a few months before.

He was also a 63 year-old rock star. She was a 21 year-old single parent.

_But he's a sexy as hell 63 year-old rock star,_ Brooke thought to herself. She didn't know what to make of the note. What did it mean? What did he want? How did he know where she lived?

Brooke really wasn't concerned with details. She was feeling a whirlwind of emotions. She was still elated from the audition, she was confused over the note, and a little turned on by the fact she was being approached by the Demon of Screamin, a rock God, and a huge sex symbol in his own right.

Once she had gotten over the shock, and figured out some minor details, she was only terrified that she would have nothing to wear.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

**I apologize for the craziness that is this chapter. I apologize for the length, and I apologize for all the information thrown out at once. I know it's got a weird concept, but I'm weird so…this what you get. All that matters to me is that it's written relatively well. If you liked it, leave a review, please! If you didn't, how about some constructive criticism? It's all appreciated, I sincerely mean that!**

**I hope you enjoyed!**

**xoxox  
><strong>**Eliza**


	2. Chapter 2

The Other Side  
><em>a fanfiction by wingsxwexcantxsee<em>

**Chapter Two**

* * *

><p>"Damn, Brooke you clean up good!"<p>

"Watch your mouth!"

"Judy's watching the Rugrats in the other room," Jen replied. "Unless you're a Pickles or a DeVille or a Finster, you don't matter right now."

Brooke chuckled and shook her head. "Very true…" She paused, looked down at her outfit, and looked back to her friend. "Jen, I look like a—" She dropped the volume of her voice. "Like a 'hoe!"

"Yeah but like an expensive hoe…like in that movie when they say…you work for lawyers and celebrities—oh my gosh this time literally! Wait until Toni and Michelle— "

"Oh no, no, _no_," Brooke interjected. "You are not allowed to tell anyone!"

"Why not?" Jen exclaimed. "This is so awesome!"

"Because I don't know what kind of night this is going to be? It could be a meeting, we don't know it's a date or anything. Even _if_ it is a date, if anyone found out like the news or whatever magazine it could destroy my chances at idol or Steven Tyler's reputation…"

"It's Steven Tyler, for God's sake," Jen replied. "He's done enough damage to his reputation all on his own. Plus, you better hope it's not anything _other_ than a business venture. I mean if it is then…well you sure are dressed for it!"

Brooke's eyes widened as she looked in the mirror. "I don't look _that_ bad, do I? I mean…it's not that short, and it has this sleeve bow thing…my hairs down and my makeup isn't too crazy?"

"I'm _kidding_, Brooke, calm down," Jen replied. "You were the one going off that you looked like a whore, I was just playing along. I promise, you look absolutely stunning! It's just you have huge boobs and you're wearing a tight dress."  
>"I was hoping they would shrink when I lost all that weight after having Judy," Brooke replied. "But they stayed."<p>

"Care to donate?" Jen joked, completely unsympathetic.

"I just feel like they give the wrong idea, like they're working against me."

"Just shut up," her best friend replied. She grabbed her friend by the arm and pulled Brooke over to a mirror. "You know what I'm really worried about? Judy."

Brooke nodded, playing with a strand of her hair. "I know, I've thought this over about a billion and one times in my head. I get really excited and then remember that I'm a mom. That I shouldn't be doing this. But then another part of me pipes up and tells me I should. As long as Judy's safe, I should be able to go out once and a while."

"But is having a man in your life going to affect her?"

"First of all…we don't know if he is in fact going to stay in my life," Brooke objected. "We don't even know what this is all about. And even if he does—well Judy took right to him at the auditions. But he wouldn't start hanging around until I was absolutely sure he was going to stay around." She paused and looked down at her clothes again. "I really do look like a hoe, don't I? Am I asking for the wrong sort of attention from Steven Tyler?"

"You're just not used to looking this hott. When was the last time you wore a dress or makeup like this?"

"I don't know, prom?" Brooke offered with a meek smile.

"Just look in the mirror. You look _good. _And if you feel that this is what you need to do, and you can do it without getting Judy all tangled up, then go for it. I will always be here, and so will Judy. So look in that damn mirror and like what you see!"

So Brooke did just that. She looked in the mirror, soaking in her reflection. Her green eyes looked huge, and the with the aid of volume-enhancing mascara and some black eyeliner, seemed to sparkle. A slate-silver mascara made the green in her eyes look bright and bold, much different than usual. Her naturally rosy cheeks only required merely a touch of blush, but her pink lips were painted red.

Brooke hardly ever wore her strawberry-blonde hair down because she was always working at the clinic. Tonight, it was partially pulled back and elevated in the front. Jen had skillfully curled and then brushed out Brooke's golden locks, so they held a very gentle wave. In an ode-to-Steven, Jen had added the flair of a clip-on red feather to the lowest layer of her hair right behind her ear.

Her eyes traveled downward. The black dress clung to every curve of her body. Brooke made sure that her breasts were covered, and only a tiny bit of cleavage showing. She had opted out of the strapless version of her dress for the one in which the seams came together in a large bow over her shoulder. The fabric clung all the way to her mid thigh, which Brooke had to admit was an appropriate length. She had tried on several others in the store that barely covered her butt.

As to not seem so bland in an outfit of almost all black, Brooke chose a ruby-red pair of 4-inch platform, open-toed stiletto shoes. Jen had insisted on her getting a manicure and pedicure, but Brooke had only agreed to a clear-coat, because her $30 would only be wasted the next day when she returned to work.

Her accessories were simple. Diamond stud earrings and a sterling-silver hoop in her cartilage, as well a very simple silver locket. She decided to abandon her college's class ring for fear of looking way too young, and kept her hands free of any jewelry.

"Okay, okay," she finally admitted. "I look good. I just don't look like _me_. I did not look like this when I auditioned…If I can't recognize myself, do you think Steven will?" Brooke smiled at her best friend, who only rolled her eyes.

With only 5 minutes until 8 o'clock, Brooke re-explained how to take care of the recovering puppy. He had stayed hydrated and active, so Brooke didn't feel horrible leaving her friend alone with the patient. She then went over to her daughter at the television.

"Say goodbye to mommy, baby?" Brooke asked her daughter.

"Wow, you don't look like mommy!" Judy exclaimed. "You look bootiful!"

"Aw, thank you Judy!" Brooke hugged her daughter tightly and kissed her on the cheek. She pulled away and Judy pecked her on the lips.

"I love you, baby."

"I love you, mommy!"

"Be good for Aunt Jen, okay?" Judy nodded fervently, and then asked if she could go back to the Rugrats. Brooke laughed and told her daughter: "Of course." With one more kiss on the cheek, Brooke returned to Jen by the doorway.

"_Please_ don't hesitate to call me," Brooke stressed to her friend as she opened her doorway. "I don't care who I'm going out to dinner with—Steven Tyler, Obama, the Queen of England. That dog is my responsibility and Judy is my baby so—"

"I'll call, I promise. You're going to be late. Just so you know, I'll be watching from the window, naturally. Here's your bag. _Now go!_"

A black clutch was thrust into Brooke's hand as her best friend pushed her out the door. Before she could get another word in, the door was slammed behind her. Brooke took a few shaky breaths and smiled to herself. She put her shoulders back and set her chin high in an attempt to appear confident. She gripped her clutch tightly so her hands couldn't shake.

_What am I getting myself into?_ She thought to herself as she walked out the front door and onto the front steps. A warm breeze met her as she descended, and she was thankful for the warm July temperatures that she wouldn't be hassled by needing a jacket.

Then again, as a black limousine rounded the corner and pulled up to the curve, Brooke almost wished she had brought something to cover up with. As she approached the vehicle, she suddenly felt naked, over exposed. Before she could reach the door, the driver leaped out of the front seat and practically sprinted over.

"Miss. Rush, I presume?" he asked with a strong British accent.

"That would be me," Brooke replied, forcing a small smile.

The driver raised his eyebrows then unfolded a piece of paper he held in his hand. He looked down at the paper, and back at her. While he was looking down, Brooke looked over. It was a screenshot of her from the audition. She raised her eyebrows and took a step back.

"Calm down, sweetheart," the driver said. "It's strictly for identification purposes only. You happen to look a lot different with your face painted up."

"Thanks?" Brooke replied slowly.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-one."

The driver stared at her for a few moments, and then opened the door to the limousine. Brooke thanked him and stepped inside, being careful not to reveal her undergarments to the cab driver or the expected passenger.

Key word: expected passenger. There was no one in the back of the limousine, however. Brooke looked quickly to the cab driver, who anticipated her question. "I'll be bringing you to him. He also said to tell you that you're welcome to whatever drink you would like."

"How far are we going?"

"It'll take about 45 minutes, maybe a little longer with traffic."

"And where are we going?"

The driver gave her a little smile. "You'll see. Mr. Tyler isn't one for small gestures."

Brooke nodded and thanked the driver. He closed the door behind him, and Brooke closed the divider between her and the driver. She sat back and took several deep breaths. She looked around and furrowed her brow when she saw the windows were tinted from the inside, and she couldn't see anything around her. Steven Tyler seemed bent on keeping her on the edge.

Despite the sudden rush of nerves, Brooke managed a smile when she saw a bottle of sparkling cider laid out in the cooler, with a few glasses secured onto a small shelf above the bottle. A corkscrew lay in the middle of the glasses. Next to the bottle of cider there was a bottle of sparkling water.

_Sobriety,_ Brooke thought to herself, mulling over Steven's past a bit as she poured herself a glass. Being a fan of the band, she had seen a few specials and was quite aware that Steven had worse problems than alcohol. Hard drugs such as heroin and cocaine had eventually tore apart the band. He had been the "poster child" for the sober rocker in the late '80s and early 90's, but fell off the wagon. Judging by the cider, she guessed he had pulled himself back on.

After only a half an hour, Brooke had finished the entire bottle of sparkling cider. She was so nervous she couldn't sit still. The sugar from the cider didn't help, and to make matters worse she now had a very uncomfortable urge to pee. Her mind was racing, thoughts crashing into each other, changing course and spiraling off onto several tangents all at once. She was practically spinning.

After having to ask the driver stop at a gas station so she could relieve herself (and gaining many strange looks along the way), she resigned to sipping on the sparkling water. She tried to space out each sip, in an attempt to calm herself down. It wasn't working. She wished she could just stop everything and take a few steps away from her own body. She closed her eyes and took deep breaths.

When the car stopped and the engine was killed, Brooke did everything she could to prevent hyperventilating. Her heart was practically throwing itself against her chest. She wished she couldn't

_Just breathe,_ she reminded herself. _Smile and breathe._

The driver opened her door and beckoned her out of the back. Brooke took two deep breaths and forced a smile. She carefully stepped out of the car, gripping her purse tightly. A hand was held out as she went to stand . She took the hand up and looked up. Her heart flew to her to her throat as she met the light brown eyes of Steven Tyler. So taken aback, she stumbled forward.

"Holy hell, Miss. Brooke," Steven said as he gently steadied his visibly shaken date by placing one hand on her hip. "You _sure_ as hell don't look 21."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

**Can you tell I've been writing this for a while before I made this account? Haha, I've got a few chapters already set up, so I'm going to put 3 up and see what you guys think.**

**If you like it so far, great! If you don't, please tell me why (constructively please?), and if you _do_ like it, pretty please review! I appreciate hearing from readers, I really really do!**

**I hope you enjoy!**

**xoxo  
>Eliza <strong>


	3. Chapter 3

****The Other Side  
><em>a fanfiction by wingsxwexcantxsee<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Three<strong>

"You know that was sparkling cider in limo, right baby girl?" Steven continued with a smile. "You can't get drunk off cider."

Brooke blushed and looked at the ground. "I'm just s little nervous."

Steven chuckled and took her hand. "Come on, we've got a lot to talk about."

Brooke was finally able to take in her surroundings. "Are you kidnapping me or something…?" she asked, a little nervously. They were in the middle of an airport tarmac, and Steven was pulling her toward a large private jet.

"I do things a little differently," Steven replied. "If you haven't noticed by now."

"Oh?"

"Like I said, we need to do some talking."

"Okay."

Still holding onto his hand, Brooke walked about a step behind Steven. She used her few moments to size up the situation. Steven was wearing an outfit Brooke considered somewhat subdued to what she had seen in concerts and on previous episodes of American Idol.

He and Brooke matched pretty well. He wore black pants with a pair of black lace-up dress shoes. Tucked in and held by a light gray belt was a black button-up. She had noticed when he had caught her that the top four or five buttons were undone. The shirt was tight to the wrists, where the hem then skirted out to create a cone down to his palm. Over his shirt was a light gray and black striped vest. Despite the humid temperatures, a dark gray, lightweight scarf hung around his neck, and in the silence of the tarmac, she could hear necklaces hitting against each other with each step.

The jet plane wasn't as big as a typical 747, so Brooke assumed it was private. For what she had seen of private jets (which really wasn't much more than those parked in a small lot in the Florida Keys) it was larger than most. But Steven Tyler had been famous since before she was born, she figured he could afford the best.

_Before I was born_, she thought to herself as they reached the stairs to the airplane. _What the hell am I doing?_

"After you," Steven offered, releasing Brooke's hand.

She took the first few steps and stopped short when she felt Steven's hand on her side. She looked back at him, and he just smiled. "I'm making sure you don't stumble," he explained.

"I'm sorry I'm so jittery," Brooke said over her shoulder. "I'm just completely star-struck. I grew up on Long Island, I live in a crappy apartment, I'm not used to limousines and private jets." Brooke turned around once she reached the top of the stairs. Steven's hands never left her side. "And I didn't fall down." She smiled proudly.

Steven gently turned Brooke around. "Keep moving," he encouraged.

So she walked forward and past the cockpit. The door was closed behind them and Steven knocked on the cockpit door twice. Brooke turned into the cabin and her mouth dropped open. It was huge, and spacious. A few seats lined either side of the plane, facing toward the center. Another portion of the plane was closed off by a red curtain.

"Just wait until we get to cruising altitude," Steven whispered into Brooke's ear. She took a quick breath in, she hadn't realized he had gotten that close. "Come on, we're going to get moving."

"Where are we going?"

"Just up and around."

The two sat down next to each other. As the wine began to wear off, Brooke began to feel nervous. She shifted in her seat and glanced around. Steven asked if she was all right, and she forced a smile and nodded. "I was never a really good flyer," she explained. "I don't freak out or anything, I just get a little jittery."

"Now I know you're not drunk," Steven said with a smile. "Don't worry, you're fine. How are you gong to make it to Hollywood?"

"I think I'll pull through, I have to for Judy—" Brooke let out a little squeak as the plane lurched forward.

"What about if you had a lot of practice?"

"What?"

"You know, if you were on a plane a few times before then. Get yourself comfortable."

Brooke almost replied: "How would I do that?" and then realized just how stupid and naïve that would have sounded. So instead she smiled and said: "I suppose that might help…"

There was a pause between their conversation as the airplane picked up speed and Brooke clasped onto Steven's hand tightly. He squeezed back gently.

"Look at me," he said gently, despite the roar of the engines. "Now, I don't beat around the bush. I'm to-the-point. Frank. Blunt. Are you okay with that?" Brooke nodded. "All right. This ain't no business venture. I think you're really something, Brooke, I think you're the shit. You're sexy as all hell, you have the most beautiful eyes, and your voice is out of this world."

Brooke whispered "Thanks", and averted her eyes in embarrassment, wincing as she felt the plane leave the ground.

"Hey," Steven said. Brooke looked back up. "I know the age different is surreal, and I know there are complications because of your involvement with the show. I've got kids older than you, and we've got 2 months until Hollywood. You've got a baby girl. It's difficult. But there is just something about you."

Brooke raised her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"Your aura, your energy, it is so different and so beautiful," he explained. "When you stepped into that room to audition, despite everything going on, with the dog, with your daughter. Despite everything, something magical happened. You just give off the most positive, caring, passionate energy I have ever felt. It's strong, and vibrant, and special. You are special, once in a lifetime. I'm not about to miss my chance…unless you believe that this is wrong. You hold the cards, it's all up to you."

"Honestly, the age doesn't matter to me," Brooke replied. She smiled and added: "I've always had a thing for older guys anyway. And you…you've been my favorite rocker for, well as long as I can remember. And there's always been something—Oh my God!" Brooke jumped and turned her head away from the window as the plane hit turbulence and dropped a few feet.

"There's always been?" Steven pushed on.

"Give me a sec?"

"No, the only way you're going to get over it is if you act like it's nothing. It is nothing."

"All right, all right," Brooke continued. She looked back into his eyes and smiled. "There's always been something _magical_ about you, too me at least. No matter your age you're sexy. You're an amazing musician and vocalist, you're handsome, and you have one the best attitudes I've ever come across. You exude positive…ness. I get the energy thing you're talking about, the positive and magical, I think Judy hooked onto it right away, she's never been comfortable with men and she walked right over to you. I know this doesn't really make sense the way I'm trying to get it across but—"

"It does," Steven replied quietly. "Thank you, your words truly mean a lot to me." He paused and looked out the window. "Don't worry, we'll be at cruising altitude in no time, I promise. Then this date can _really _begin."

As soon as the pilot told them they were at cruising altitude, Steven unbuckled from his seat and told Brooke he'd be right back. From behind the red curtain he rolled out a small table and a wine cooler. On the table was two covered plates, and in the cooler was a large bottle of sparkling apple-and-grape cider. He pulled out two chairs on opposite sides of the able and beckoned her over.

A lobster dinner was laid before her. Brooke was completely floored. She felt like a princess, as she had never been treated so extravagantly on a first date—or ever, for that matter. Then again, she had never dated someone with the financial ability of a rock star. But never had someone made a gesture that could equate to Steven Tyler's. It would be a night to remember.

After a light conversation about the Idol auditions, Brooke gathered enough courage to ask: "What is this going to be?" she asked. "Obviously a secret—it could compromise Idol. But is this going to be exclusive, or a relationship of convenience? I need to know, not for me. I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself. But I need to take care of my girl, too."

"You're right about the secrecy—at least for now," Steven replied. "But as for status, right now let's get to know each other and see what happens. Keep it exclusive until we figure things out. Sound good?"

"Sounds good," Brooke replied with a small smile. "I just can't bring Judy into any of this for a while."

Steven frowned. "I understand," he said. "But she is a beautiful little girl. I hope one day she can come back into my life. You're blessed to have her." Brooke thanked him, but didn't say anymore on the subject. She bit her lip and looked down. Blessed to have Judy? Absolutely. She just wished she hadn't been conceived the way she had been. It was a sore subject, and Brooke didn't want to get into that conversation.

After the lobster and sparkling cider were finished, the table was cleared and instead of being stashed in the back room, the garbage was put in a garbage hold area toward the cockpit and the table and chairs were folded down and stuck underneath the seats on the opposite side.

While Brooke returned to her seat (a little wobbly), Steven dimmed the lights and walked over to the cockpit. He opened the door, whispered something, and walked back to Brooke. As he extended his hand to her, music filled the cabin. It was a slow, rock ballad that Brooke couldn't identify. Brooke took his hand and was pulled close. Brooke wrapped her arms gently around his neck and he slid his hands down her sides to sit low on her hips.

It was being this close that she noticed the little angel pin on his shirt that had been previously covered by his vest. "What's that?" she asked, motioning to the pin with her chin and eyes.

"My guardian angel," Steven replied as their eyes locked again. "I wear it every single time I fly."

Brooke's eyebrows raised ad she nodded, impressed. "That's something," she murmured. "At least now I _know_ I'm safe."

"I told you that already," Steven replied, dropping the volume of his voice.

The two danced close, and slow. While her arms hung loosely on his shoulders, Steven's hands roamed the sides of her body. His hands reached her butt and he pulled her as close as possible to him, and Brooke became aware of every part of her that was in contact with his. Sudden sexual tension arose, and Brooke recognized the glimmer in Steven's eye.

The plane shook and Brooke ruined whatever moment had begun by tightening her arms around Steven's neck and burrowing her face in his neck. He wrapped his arms around her mid section and held her tightly. "You're safe, you're safe."

"Mr. Tyler, we're going to hit some turbulence, you might want to sit down," the pilot advised over the speaker.

"All right," Steven replied loudly. "We'll be in the back, keep the music on." He loosened his embrace on Brooke and caught her eye.

"Come with me, you'll like it better back here," he said as he guided her toward the red curtain. "If you're okay with it, I promise you won't even remember you're on an airplane."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

**All right...I think I'm going to stop there for a day or two..._pretty please_ tell me what you think! Like it or hate it PLEASE tell me, I really do want thoughts on my writing/staying in-character. **

**I hope you are enjoying!**

**xoxo  
>Eliza <strong>


	4. Chapter 4

****The Other Side  
><em>a fanfiction by wingsxwexcantxsee<em>

**Chapter Four**

* * *

><p>The two ventured beyond the curtain. The room was lit with low red lights, and was occupied only by one piece of furniture: a bed. It was circle, made up with a gold comforter and matching pillows.<p>

"Ready to join the Mile High Club?" Steven whispered in Brooke's ear. Her heart raced, but feeling Steven's hands slide from her hips to the front of her dress calmed her down. She nodded.

"Oh yes," she whispered.

"I'm warning you, I play a little rough." He was practically purring, and the way his hands tightened around her mid section sent shivers up her spine.

"Bring it."

Steven turned her around and their lips met instantly. Brooke's hands flew to his vest, which she slipped off him easily. As he pushed her toward the bed, she pulled at his shirt, unbuttoning it as quick as her hands could fly. He shrugged off his shirt and then grabbed Brooke by the thighs and lifted her up and laid her down on the bed.

While Brooke's hands roamed his chest and she pushed her shoes off with her heels, Steven wasted no time sticking his hand up her dress. His finger hooked around her thong strap and pulled it down her legs and flung it to the other side of the room. Brooke leaned upward and began undoing his belt while he explored her neck with his tongue and teeth.

Once his pants were unbuckled and she started to pull them down, he found the zipper to her dress and pulled it down quickly. "Get up," he told her, supporting her back with his arm. She leaned upward and let him remove her dress.

While kneeling, one of Steven's hand moved downward. Brooke put her head back moaned as he inserted two fingers into her. One arm wrapped around his neck and she moved her entire body closer to him, riding his fingers gently and kissing and biting his neck. With his free hand he unhooked her bra and threw it in the directions her thong had went.

Still moving his fingers in and out of her, he used his other hand to guide her back to the bed. She moved her hips with him, moaning against his kisses as he hit her sweet spots. It had been a long time since she had been with anyone, and Steven knew what he was doing. He pressed all the right buttons. Without removing his own pants, he had Brooke on the verge of an orgasm.

Sensing how close she was, he removed his fingers and moved one hand up to her breast. On the edge, Brooke whimpered and kissed his neck quickly and gently, as if begging for him to push her over the edge.

"Oh no," he whispered. "You're going to wait for it." He squeezed one of her breasts and moved his mouth to the other. He didn't bite, just licked and sucked. Brooke squirmed beneath him, moaning and whimpering.

When Steven moved back up to her neck, her hand traveled down. She slipped it down below his pants and gently wrapped her fingers around his member. As she moved her fingers up and down the shaft, Steven's breath quickened. He gave her one last love bite and then rolled to his side. Brooke straddled him and removed his pants to reveal his engorging cock.

Brooke wasn't much for oral sex (giving or receiving) so she climbed up his chest and moved her hand down. She tried to do as good a job as she could, and Steven's moans let her know she was doing a pretty good. The more she pleasured him, the more she wanted to be pleasured. She was stuck on the edge with no relief.

Finally, Steven turned her over onto her back and looked her in the eye. He smirked and brushed his fingers down the side of her face. She rose to meet his lips, running her fingers through his hair and pulling very gently. While locked in their kiss, Brooke felt his arm extend out. He fished around briefly, found what he want, and pulled away. Steven slipped into his condom quickly and then returned his hands and lips to Brooke's mouth and neck.

Without notice, Steven slipped into Brooke. She tossed her head back and moaned loudly, raising her hips and falling into rhythm as he began to thrust into her. She howled like a cat in heat when she came, and Steven kept going.

"There's more where that came from," Steven growled.

"Keep it coming, _please,_" she begged. "_Please."_

They moved into several different positions. Doggy, cowgirl, sideways. Toward the end, Steven scooped Brooke up and pressed her against the wall. She wrapped her legs tightly around him and he pushed everything he had into her against the wall. Once again, Brooke was almost there.

"You ready, baby girl?" Steven murmured.

"Yes!" Brooke almost exclaimed.

Steven picked her up again and laid her in the bed. He thrust harder and faster into her, and she had to reach behind her and hold onto the headboard to steady to herself.

"Oh my _God!_"

"_Oh_, baby!"

The two shuddered together and Steven collapsed on top of her. He withdrew, pealed of the condom and leaned over Brooke to place it in a trashcan. They were sweating and slipping all over each other. The smell in the room was thick and poignant.

"That was…something else," Brooke panted. Steve rolled over onto his back and pulled Brooke close to him. She laid her head on his chest and draped an arm over his midsection. He held onto her upper arm and cradled her back.

"You're good for a 21 year-old," Steven complement. "That was…really, really good. Great…whatever the hell it was it did the trick."

Brooke nodded and smiled. Steven gently ran his fingers through her hair. And for the next hour or so, the two remained like that, in a comfortable bliss. There was no tension in the room, just relief. Both of them drifted in and out of the lightest slumber. Despite the heat and sweat and slight stench, the two were completely comfortable.

"I better go tell Pauly to bring the plane around," Steven finally said with some resignation as he ran his hand up and down Brooke's back. "I should be getting you home."

"Yes I should," Brooke replied, frowning as she was hit was a sudden overwhelming feeling of guilt. She thought of Judy, and she took a few deep breaths.

_There's nothing to be ashamed of, _she told herself while Steven got up and pulled on his pants and slipped into his shoes. Once he left the room, Brooke pushed back the covers and quickly redressed. It wasn't like she had anything to be embarrassed about after having sex with Steven, she just wasn't sure an encore was in any way possible. His shirt was still off, and they were obviously attracted to each other. While she was already feeling guilty, more sex was not necessarily the smartest idea.

While Brooke was brushing her hair with the tiny compact she had brought in her purse, Steven walked back in. She smiled at him, her eyes grazing his bare chest. Her heart raced, but she forced herself out of that mindset.

"The feather's a nice touch, by the way," Steven said with a smirk as he began to button up his shirt. Brooke thanked him and walked over. Very coyly, she pushed his hands out of the way and buttoned his shirt slowly for him, leaving quite a few undone.

"Can you zip me up in return?" she asked, turning her back to Steven. She was asking for it, she knew, but hopefully Steven was aware of the time constraints.

"I'd rather not," he whispered in her ear, wrapping his arms around her midsection and pulling her close. He planted a few kisses on her neck and nibbled on her ear. Brooke shivered and placed her hands over his.

"You can't do this now," she objected weakly, turning around in his grip.

"I can't zip you from that angle," he told her, spinning her around. He zipped the dress up, but then hiked up the hem so her thong was showing. "There's a lot you can do with this dress, you know…"

Brooke nodded, locking eyes. "I know," she whispered in reply.

"One more time?" he asked. "You won't even know we're landing…"

She sighed with a smile and nodded. She just couldn't resist. He chuckled and pulled her dress up to her stomach. She undid his pants and pulled them down to his ankles. He slipped on another condom and guided Brooke down onto the bed. She lay back and took it. It was nothing like the previous, but it was sex, and it was wonderful. He thrust hard into her, and deep. She yelled and moaned and took out frustration out on his mouth with his tongue.

"My God…" Brooke breathed as she finally came. Steven thrust a few more times into her and then shuddered against her. The second condom came off and the two lay back on the bed for only a few seconds.

The plane shook, and Brooke grabbed Steven's hand. "It's time we head back to our seats anyway," he murmured.

The two could feel the decline of the aircraft as they stood and dressed quickly. When they returned to their seats, they still couldn't keep their hands off each other. No matter the awkward position, the two still found a way to tongue wrestle. Their hands roamed each other wildly. There was more than spark between them, there was a full-fledged fire.

When they landed, Brooke wasn't fazed. She was too preoccupied with the owner of the plane. When the pilot announced that they had come to a full and complete stop, Brooke groaned and shook her head. Steven smiled at her reaction.

"Have fun tonight?" he asked.

"Oh yes," Brooke replied with a large smile. "It was a date like no other."

"And you'd like to do this again?"

"Definitely," Brooke nodded, running her fingers over the bare part of his chest. "Besides…I need to get used to planes, you know?" She winked, and Steven chuckled.

"I know I know I know," he murmured, planting a kiss on her lips.

There were three knocks on the door to the plane. The two released from their embrace and walked over. They kissed once more before Steven threw open the door and guided Brooke out.

The tarmac was pitch-black, deserted. Steven walked Brooke over to the limousine. "Unfortunately, this is where we have to part," he murmured into her ear. "Until when?"

"Give me a date and time and I'll be there," she replied in the same fashion, planting a very gentle kiss on his cheek.

"Saturday, same time, same place for the pick-up, sound good?"

"Wonderful."

"Until then…" He turned his head and kissed her hard on the mouth.

The two held their embrace for about a minute before they were forced to pull apart by Steven's limousine drive reminding them: "It's getting late."

They said farewell with one more peck on the lips and then Brooke got into the limousine.

"Holy shit," Brooke murmured to herself as the door closed behind hers "I really need a drink."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

**So this chapter was _more_ than a little raunchy. Like I said, the story was rated M for a reason. Pretty pretty please review these past few chapters? I promise there's more to Steven and Brooke than just sex...it'll all make sense in the chapters to come!**

**I hope you're enjoying, even if you're not reviewing!**

**xoxo**

**Eliza**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

* * *

><p>"Wake up sleepy-head."<br>Brooke opened up one eye, and jumped backward in her bed when she saw her dog Lilo standing in front of her. "What the—?"

"Surprise surprise!"

"Holy shit, Jen!" Brooke exclaimed as her friend jumped up from where she had been hiding beside the bed. A quick, throbbing pain engulfed her head and she groaned. "Ow…"

"Somebody stayed out _way_ too late last night!" Jen said loudly with a smile. "So 'somebody's in for quite the morning. Somebody who has work in an hour."

"Oh my _God_," Brooke groaned again. She scooped Lilo up and pushed back the covers. "What happened? Where's Judy? How's the puppy?"

"Reggie is safe and sound in the kitchen in her crate."  
>"Reggie?"<p>

"I had to call her _something_ besides 'puppy' all night," Jen explained. "So she's Reggie, like from that old show Rocket Power?" There was a pause, Brooke blinked a few times in an attempt to stop the room from spinning. "Anyway, she and Lilo have both had their breakfast. I promised Judy we'd go out to breakfast after we went to my house as a treat. She's in front of the television. And I know, they have the best Auntie in the whole entire world."

Brooke smiled weakly at her friend and kissed her dog on the muzzle before getting out of bed very slowly and placing her Chihuahua on the ground. "How did everything go last night with them?" she asked as she walked over to her dresser.

"They were absolutely fabulous," Jen replied. "Not that you could have helped anyway. I tried calling you to give you an update, but your phone was off. Then you come home absolutely _exhausted_, talking about the Mile High Club and how Steven Tyler's guardian angel kept you safe. What the _flying fuck_ happened last night?"

_I have a lot of explaining to do,_ she thought to herself. "I guess I should explain?" she said out loud.

"Oh yes you should, missy. From the beginning, let's go."

Despite the time constraint Brooke had, she managed to find a way to give her best friend a very detailed account of the night's activities. This included Jen sitting on her bathroom countertop while Brooke showered behind her dark blue curtain, and behind the bedroom door while she changed into a fresh pair of scrubs, as well as between scoops of cereal and sips of apple juice during breakfast. Except for a few extremely fine details, Jen heard _everything_ that happened the previous night.

At first, Brooke could tell her friend disapproved. She could just see it in Jen's eyes. She was judging her, being skeptical. She had always been one to be conservative, especially when it came to relationships and sex. She also never approved of Brooke's infatuation with men that were 10 to 20 years her senior, so one that was just over 40 was simply over-the-top.

"You helped me find a dress," Brooke reminded her friend. "You helped me get ready for a _date_, remember that."

"That's true," Jen replied. "And you looked absolutely fantastic. I just didn't know I was dressing you for an induction into the Mile High Club." She paused. "Is this…going to more than a one time thing?"

"Yes," Brooke replied. "We're doing it again on Saturday, since I'm only working the morning at the clinic."

"Is it strictly going to be the high life—literally—for you two? Are you ever going to go public?"

"I honestly have no idea," Brooke admitted to her friend. Brooke scooped up the newly-named 'Reggie's carrier and walked over to the door while Jen carried a sleepy Judy behind her. "And I know that it seems crazy to just jump into it, but it feels right, most definitely. We're going to have to wait until after Idol finishes to go public if we wind up staying together."

"That is going to create a storm of shitake mushrooms, I hope you know that, Brooke," Jen told her carefully as they descended the stairs. "And you and him will be the target of a whole lot of hate. He got poop thrown at him for dating Erin Brady because she was only 4 years _older_ than his daughter, Liv. What about 17 years _younger_" Jen paused again, and while Brooke mulled over the huge number difference, Jen continued. "Apparently the relationship was ruined because of issues with age that arose within the Tyler family. He got shit from his daughters."

"How do you know all this?" Brooke asked as they walked over to her car out in front of the apartment.

"Wikipedia, mostly," Jen replied. "I had some free time last night after the dogs and Judy had gone to sleep, and even more while I was making sure you didn't drown in your own wine-induced vomit. I did my research."

Once Judy was fastened tightly into her car seat, the two girls slid into Brooke's old Jeep Wrangler, and Jen held Reggie's carrier on her lap. Brooke was silent for the few minute drive it took to get to Jen's home. As she pulled up to the curb, she looked at her friend and smiled.

"Thanks," she murmured. "It means a lot you would go through all the trouble of stalking the crud out of a celebrity just to make sure I stay safe."

"Your last you-know-what and Judy's you-know-who was the worst person you and I had the unfortunate fate to meet," Jen replied. "And he was just a normal guy. You were a wreck for months. I just want to make sure that this guy doesn't screw you or Judy over just because he thinks he's some God or whatever."

Brooke nodded, murmuring her thanks to her best friend again. "You are the best friend a girl could ever have, I hope you know that." Jen nodded, and Brooke smiled. She held the pause for a second then added: "That being said…would you mind sitting this Saturday?"

"I was supposed to hang out with Phil…"

"You two could hang out in my apartment!" Brooke immediately replied. "Raid my fridge, use my TV, hang out with my dogs, play house. Whatever you'd like. I'll pay for dinner, even."

"No you won't, you're broke," Jen quipped. "But I will make Phil agree to the offer to raid your fridge and utilize your television."

"You're the _best_," Brooke stressed again. "Plus, you're kind of the only one that can know about this for right now…I'll tell Michelle and Toni when it's more appropriate."

Jen raised her eyebrows as she opened the door to the car. "It's never going to _be_ appropriate, Brooke, you know that right?"

Brooke nodded and thanked her friend for the fifteenth or sixteenth time for taking such good care of her and her dogs. She also added a promise that she would never drink that much in front of her best friend again. Jen rolled her eyes and bid her friend and Reggie goodbye.

"Good luck at work today!" she yelled deviously, slamming the door. Brooke winced.

"Thanks," she whispered in reply, rubbing her temples gently. She then added, speaking to no one but herself: "I'm going to need it."

ooooooooo

The fact that she was greeted with claps and cheers from her coworkers definitely did not help the situation. "I see you all got my text message," Brooke said, forcing a smile.

"Was someone out late partying hard last night?" her friend, Sierra asked.

"Something like that," she replied.

"You deserve it, you lucky bitch!" Sierra continued to encourage. "Did you get any of the judge's autographs?"

Images from her previous night with Steven made Brooke smirk as she gently shook her head. "When I get eliminated, I'll make sure to do that."

"Oh shut up," another coworker, Vivian, commented. "Our very own little-miss-Brooke-DiAngello is going to be _the next American Idol._"

"Thanks guys, I appreciate all your support," Brooke said genuinely. "Is Doc in yet? I need to discuss with him the time that I'm going to be away."

"In _Hollywood!_" Sierra exclaimed. She then continued to laugh and Brooke winced and shot her a mean glare.

"He just got in his office, I'm sure he'd love to see you," Vivian said, much quieter.

"Thanks Viv, I'm going to set up Reggie—"

"Reggie?"

"Oh, the dog. My friend named her."

"Oh."

"Yeah, I'm just going to set her up in the back real quick and then I'll be in Doc's office."

Brooke did just that. Despite the fact he seemed hydrated and back to a normal puppy attitude, she hooked her up to an IV drip and gave her a second breakfast of some wet food enriched with NutriCal. After she made sure the pup was completely comfortable, she walked back to the head Doctor's office and knocked on the door.

She was welcomed in and immediately congratulated with a warm hug. She was so grateful to have such a wonderful boss. She had been working for him since she was 15 years-old. She started out as a volunteer, but when she was 17 he gave her a part-time, paid position. He acted as a second Father to her, and had helped her through more than a lot when she found out she was pregnant. She knew that when he said congratulations, he genuinely meant it. He also looked out for her like a father, and had been one of her greatest supporters when she had set out to audition for American Idol.

The two talked for a few minutes. She described the entire process, as well as a detailed description of her audition experience. She explained how the judges had praised her and how she really felt comfortable performing for then.

"Did you catch Steven Tyler's attention, by any chance?" Doc asked, looking over his glasses. Brooke shifted in her seat and shrugged.

"Because only moments before you knocked on the door, I had just hung up on the phone. The person had called to inquire if this was the very veterinary clinic that Brooke DiAngello worked at. I know I'm a rock and roll junkie and sometimes our minds get the better of us, but I could have sworn that was Steven Tyler. I was just wondering."

"Did you get enough sleep last night, Doc?" Brooke asked jokingly, though in the back of her mind, she got a little nervous. Her boss always had a certain knack for figuring out little pieces of Brooke's life by doing no more than talk with her.

"Did you?" he asked in turn.

Brooke smiled and rolled her eyes. The two moved passed the conversation, and onto how long she would be gone for Idol. Once they had established the date she would be leaving, she excused herself to continue on working. She hadn't even gotten back to the treatment area when she heard her name called from up front.

She walked over to the reception area and had a bouquet of long-stemmed red roses thrust at her. "These just came for you," one of the receptionists, Heather, explained quickly. "I didn't have time to ask who it was from. The delivery boy came in, asked if you were here, dropped the flowers on the desk and left."

"That's weird," Brooke replied, attempting to feign confusion. She had the slightest idea who had sent her the lovely gift, but obviously she could not share the information. So she took the roses away from the receptionist and looked through for a card.

_**You drove me crazy last night.**_

_**It was a hell of a time.**_

_**See you Saturday.**_

_**Until then, I hope you enjoy the roses, though they pale in comparison.**_

_**-ST**_

Brooke smiled, shook her head and tore up the card before disposing it in the garbage can. She didn't want anyone else finding out or getting any ideas. The less people knew, the better. So she found a large enough bowl to temporarily place the flowers in water, and then went about her business. She tried her best to make everything seem normal.

However, "normal" was about the last word she would use to describe her situation.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

**I'm trying to bring in more of Brooke's life into this...I'm trying not to just keep it Brooke x Steven interaction...unless I mean that's what the readers want. I'm actually going to try and show her more dimensional side.**

**I've been checking my stats and people HAVE been reading...so I just hope that you guys will review! PRetty pretty please!**

**xoxo  
><strong>**Eliza**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

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><p>Saturday seemed to sneak up on Brooke. So much so, that it was 7:30p.m, and she was just getting out of the shower. Throughout the week work had been insane, Judy had caught a spell of the flu that Brooke blamed on being around so many people at the Idol auditions. There was no time in her day to go out and go shopping for date clothes. Shopping was done at the local thrift store only an hour before Brooke would be . Though more financially acceptable than a department store or the mall, Brooke had to bring Judy along and buy her some things as well as to not seem suspicious to the child.<p>

Jen and her boyfriend, Phil, were already at her apartment and keeping Judy and the dogs occupied while Brooke got ready. As she stepped out of the shower, Brooke could hear singing from the main room, where Jen had gotten Judy to sing along with Phil to one of the television programs that was on. She smiled to herself, but did not pause to relish in the moment. She toweled herself off quickly and did her best to blow dry her long locks as fast as she could.

Her dress was looked a little old fashioned. The dress was red with white polka dots evenly distributed in a lined pattern throughout the dress. It was strapless, tight around the bosom but fanned out at the middle, where a thin black belt buckled in front. Brooke buttoned the dress up quickly, leaving the top three undone. Originally she had planned to reuse the pumps she had used on Monday, but instead opted for a pair of black flats.

Simply because she did not have enough time, Brooke attempted to gain the "natural beauty" look. She used brown eyeliner on top and in her water line, and used a dark brown, very matte eye shadow. After applying black volume-enhancing mascara, a dash of blush, and the lightest coat of a red lipstick, the makeup didn't give the same "pop" it had last time, but it did a could job of making her green eyes stand out.

Her hair was done very simply. Instead of taking time to curl and then wave her hair, Jen worked to straighten it while Brooke applied her makeup. She pulled it partially back, and put the part that was pulled up into a little bun tied with a small white ribbon. The red feather she had worn last time was put in the same spot, and she wore the same earrings, but went without a necklace.

"Wow," Phil comment as Brooke and Jen walked out. "You look like you stepped out of the 1950's…in a good way…I think. I'm not into fashion." Jen shook her head and apologized to Brooke for her boyfriend's lack of ability to give a complement.

Judy put down the dinosaur toy she had been playing with and ran over. "Mommy you look pwetty!" she exclaimed. Brooke bent down, scooped her daughter up and spun her around.

"Thank you my darling," she said, planting a big kiss on Judy's cheek. Jen cleared her throat and reminded Brooke of the time. Brooke looked back at Judy (who was playing with her mother's hair) and smiled.

"Are you going to be a good girl?" she asked her daughter.

"Yes!"

"Are you going to listen to everything Aunt Jen and Phil say?"

"Yes!"

"Are you going to miss me?"

"Yes Mommy I love you!"

Brooke smiled and hugged her daughter close. "I love you so, so much, little one," she murmured. "Forever and ever and ever."

Judy smiled and gave her mom a kiss on the cheek before she was let down. "Come on baby girl, time for bed."

"Aww."

Brooke took her baby girl into her room and placed her very gently in her little bed. She tucked Judy in nice and tight. She looked at her watch and grimaced. 7:59. Although she felt bad she would be late, she knew that Steven would understand that putting her girl to bed was much more important. "Goodnight my angel now it's time to sleep," she sang gently. "And still so many things I want to say. Remember all the songs you sang for me when we went sailing on an emerald bay. And like a boat out on the ocean, I'm rocking you to sleep. The water's dark and deep, Inside this ancient heart, you'll always be a part of me."

Judy smiled at her mom, yawned, and rolled over. Brooke sat at her child's bedside rubbing her back gently until her breathing became slow and steady. She looked over at the time again and sighed. She was eight minutes late. She got up quietly, closed the door behind her, and then practically sprinted for the door.

Jen handed Brooke her black clutch as Brooke flung open her door. Phil looked at the two of them skeptically. "I wish I knew what the heck was going on," he said quietly.

"You will eventually, Phil, I promise, " Brooke said as she was halfway out the door. "Don't blame Jen, blame me!"

"Have fun, be safe!" Jen reminded. "Be _good_, please."

"I will, I promise," Brooke replied, almost at the stairs. "I'll make sure I'm home by or before 2 okay?"

"Okay, see you then!"

Brooke ran down the stairs, almost tripping once or twice. She skipped the last few steps to the bottom floor and then speed-walked out of her front door. The limousine was waiting for her. The driver stood outside tapping his foot, looking quite impatient.

"I'm sorry I'm late!" Brooke said quickly. "I had to get my daughter to sleep before leaving her with the baby sitter."

"Your daughter?" the cab driver questioned as he opened the door for her. Brooke raised an eyebrow and nodded. He murmured something inaudibly and told Brooke that traffic was good and they shouldn't be too late.

"Excellent!" Brooke said. "Thanks so much!"

**ooo**

The driver wasn't wrong. The trip _should_ have taken only 40-45 minutes. However, there was an accident on the main highway they had to use. It caused major back up, and Brooke was stuck in the back of the limousine drinking sparkling cider and playing Angry Birds on her cellphone. She didn't like not having contact with Steven to give him an update, but she swore she heard the driver talking upfront, and hoped he had let her date know.

After a quick bathroom break once they had passed the traffic (for both passenger and driver), it took only fifteen minutes to reach their destination. When the car finally stopped, Brooke was fidgeting in her seat. Once the door was open, she stepped out and took a deep breath of fresh summer air.

"You all right there, baby girl?" Steven Tyler asked, eyebrows raised but a small smile turning up the corners of his mouth.

"I've just been cooped up alone for way too long," Brooke replied with a smile. "It was my fault anyway, if I had been on time we would have probably missed the accident."

"Remy told me you were taking care of Judy," Steven replied, taking hold of Brooke's hand. They started walking as Steven asked: "Is everything all right?"

"Well she's been sick this week, but she's all right now I just needed to put her to bed," Brooke replied. "According to her babysitter, she sleeps better when I sing her to sleep than when the babysitter reads a story or something. So since I was running a little late, she was up a little bit past her bedtime so I wanted to make sure she got the best sleep possible."

"What a good mommy you are," Steven said, squeezing her hand.

"She's the absolute light in my life," Brooke replied. "I love her more than myself."

"Strange what parenting does to you, huh?"

"Oh yeah," Brooke replied, nodding her head.

The two walked up the stairs to the plane in similar fashion as last time. Even though Brooke protested that she was not so jittery this time, and had less of a chance of falling. Steven insisted that he stayed behind her, just in case. Despite her stubborn attitude, the sentiment made Brooke smile. It felt good to feel protected. As a parent, she was used to doing the protecting.

Once in the cabin with the door closed behind them, Steven hummed the melody to "The Way You Look Tonight", took Brooke's hand and pulled her close to him. He then pushed her out gently and spun her around.

"Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?" he asked her in a whisper when he pulled her back close. Brooke bit her lip and shook her head, blushing. Steven leaned in and whispered in her ear. "Well you look _beautiful_."

"Thank you," Brooke replied with a small smile, still blushing. "I've come to find you always look quite handsome."

"Why thank you, I try my best," Steven replied.

Tonight, his hair was pulled back, similar to Brooke's, except not tied in a bun in the back. He wore a black-and-gold blouse tucked into tight black dress jeans. The sleeves were large and lose, and covered partially by a black vest. Pinned to the vest was his little guardian angel. Brooke smiled and touched it gently.

"Safety," she murmured.

Steven grasped Brooke's hand and held it against his chest. He walked backwards toward the seats, keeping her hand in his. He sat down and smiled at Brooke. "You're safe, baby girl, as long as you're with me. I promise."

Brooke leaned forward and met Steven's lips in a very gentle kiss. Steven returned it, still holding her hand. He released her hand only when they plane started moving, and that was only to buckle his seat belt. Not really taking her eyes of him, she did the same. Her heart began to race as the plane turned and began picking up speed.

"Steven," she murmured, putting her hand forward. Steven immediately took her hand. "Hey," he whispered. "You're fine. It's nothing."

Brooke nodded. "I know it's nothing," she said. "But I'm still scared. I don't know why, I just hate the departure and the turbulence and the landing." Steven chuckled and smiled encouragingly.

"I promise it will get easier, darling," he told her. He leaned in and kissed her gently. "Just focus on me." Steven leaned in and kissed her, moving his hand to cradle her head and neck. She moved her hand to his upper and arm and curled her fingers to hold onto him.

The kiss wasn't like the ones they had shared on Monday. It was long, and gentle. Their tongues were dancing, not wrestling. It was calm, it was tender. Brooke's mind was only in one place. It was right in that moment with Steven. The outside world didn't exist. It was only them.

Brooke sighed as she pulled away, smiling up at Steven. Her heart was pounding in her chest, she could feel the flame between them. It sparked and burned, but in the best way possible. It made her smile, and it made her feel warm and safe.

The two talked quietly, just discussing their weeks briefly. When the pilot announced they had reached cruising altitude, Steven's smile turned a little devious. Similar to their previous date, a table and chairs were set out and Brooke was lifted out of her seat by the hand. Music filled the cabin, and Steven twirled her around.

"Working up an appetite?" Brooke asked with a smile.

"Something like that," Steven replied.

There was something different in the air, Brooke was slowly realizing. It wasn't like last time. There wasn't this need to put their hands all over each other. They had been there once. Did they really know each other? No, but they had both had the other's body. There was attraction and lust, but it wasn't an urgent feeling. It was more level, it felt comfortable, it felt right.

There hands were clasped and to the side. Brooke's free arm was draped over his shoulder. His arm wrapped around her mid section, holding her close. He whispered the lyrics into her ear and Brooke giggled shyly, gently nuzzling into his shoulder. The dance was simple, just a gentle swaying back and forth. If the melody picked up speed or the chorus came around, Brooke was spun around and brought back in close, each time brought in closer than before.

"Come here," he murmured. Brooke looked up at him and he gently kissed her lips. Brooke stood on her tip-toes and kissed him back.

The song ended and Steven pulled away. Brooke smiled up at him and squeezed his hand. Wordlessly, he pulled her toward the table and pulled her chair out for her. "Madame," he said grandly.

"Well thank you sir," Brooke replied, mock-curtseying before she sat down.

Steven sat down and a small smirk crept up on his lips. The meal was uncovered and the two began their dinner. "We have a little game I would like to play tonight."

"Oh?" Brooke replied, taking a sip of sparkling grape juice. "What would that be?"

"Twenty questions."

Brooke raised an eyebrow and smiled. "So, you ask me something and then I ask you something?"

"Yes and no," Steven replied. "This time, I want to know all about you. Next time, you'll learn all about me."

"Sounds like _fun_," Brooke replied. "But why do you get to have all the fun? Can't I learn about you this time?"

"Of course you'll learn something about me," Steven replied. "But I'm just trying to keep things interesting…and I'm guessing you've got to get home to your baby girl…?"

"Very true," Brooke agreed. "All right, sounds like a plan."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

**I thought this would be a fun way for the two to get to know each other with the limited time they share…**

**Also as a side note. Writing dialogue is a bit difficult for me, and that's why Chapters do take some time. I started reading ****Does the Noise in My Head Bother You**** and I've been watching a ridiculous amount of Steven interviews to get a feel for his mannerisms and how he feels about certain subjects. I've also gone back and watched American Idol Auditions because according to Steven and his daughter, Mia, on "Oprah's Next Chapter", the auditions is when he is most real to his true character.**

**Anyhoo, I hope you're enjoying!**

**xoxo  
>Eliza<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

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><p>The two continued to dine in a comfortable quiet for the a few minutes. Brooke wondered why this date had been so far subdued. It felt so different from the last time, yet so little time had past between them. While Brooke was in the middle of her pondering, Steven asked his first question.<p>

"What are you thinking, right now?"

"This counts as one of the 20?"

"Yes."

"Just about how…different this date is from the last," she replied truthfully. "Everything seemed so _wild_ on Monday. It was almost like a crazy dream. This feels so much more relaxed, so comfortable."

Steven smiled and nodded his head. "I removed the tension," he explained. "I've been around the block, you know that, and there's always so much build up to the first time. You want so much from the other person. By doing what we did how we did last time, the tension is gone. We've 'been there, done that', so it's a lot easier to be around each other this way. Is it the best way to do thing to do all of the time? Absolutely not. But our energies just _blend_, and it makes it almost…easy."

Brooke was very impressed with his logic—because it completely made sense. Personally, though she thought Steven was extremely attractive, she was okay with keeping her hands off for now. Like he had said: She had 'been there, done that'.

"What's your full name?" Steven asked for question number two.

"Brooke Anne Rush," she replied…"And yes, I've been made fun of because my initials spell "BAR".

"Better than "BRA"," Steven joked.

Question number three: "What's your favorite color?"

"Sunflower yellow and lime green," Brooke replied. "Sunflowers are my favorite because of the colors of their petals—they're just so bright. They always make me smile. Lime green is just a pretty color…it reminds me of the tropics, and I want to live somewhere warm and sunny near the water someday."

"My favorite place in the world is Hawai'i," Steven replied. "I've got a house there, and I agree with you, there's no life like island life."

Question four: "What's your favorite animal?"

"I don't have one." Brooke chuckled. "Well, I like to say I don't have one. I honestly find all life on this earth beautiful and special. However, one day I would love to work with dolphins, elephants, and orangutans. Oh, and brown bears have a special place in my heart too."

"Why them? And yes, you can count that as question four."

"I would love to share how I view animals with the world," Brooke replied. "I think they're intelligent and sentient. I believe we're all connected. If I could show people how smart and loving these animals are, maybe they would love them as much as do, and would want to save them too." Steven smiled and nodded his head.

"That's wonderful," he interjected.

She thanked him and continued. "And as for bears…instead of an imaginary human friend, I had an imaginary brown bear named Buddy."

Steven chuckled a little bit. "That's sort of adorable."

Brooke shrugged. "I try," she replied with a joking smile.

Question five: "Why are you a veterinary technician?"

"Well I wanted to be a wildlife veterinarian…and I still do sort of," Brooke replied slowly after she took a sip of grape juice. "But then Judy came along. I needed to be home with her, I couldn't handle college and being a single mom, so I went to a two-year tech school and got my associates and a license for a technician. I'm still working with animals, so I'm happy."

"Okay, so if you want to be a veterinarian, why are you on American Idol?" Question six.

Brooke took another sip of grape juice before answering. "Because I believe that God gives us gifts for a reason. I have a gift with animals, and I've utilized it. I've also been giving a beautiful singing voice. And I think using my singing could help my dreams of working with animals. Not to mention, getting a record deal and selling albums would help my family in a way nothing else could. I know that fame and fortune come at a price, but I also feel it opens so many doors. The fortune part, especially. Judy would be able to go to the best schools, have the best of everything. I could use the fame to bring awareness to the causes I want to work with. It has a lot of perks. And I've got a gift…it would be wrong of me to waste it."

Steven nodded his head and took a few moments to absorb Brooke's answer. Though it wasn't her day to ask questions, Brooke's head was swimming with inquiries for the rockstar sitting across from her. She also wanted to know what Steven was thinking. She wished she could read his mind, or that he would tell her what he thought.

_Did that sound stupid?_ Brooke thought to herself. _That had to sound stupid—all that stuff about the animals. Why did I say that? I should have just kept it generic, that I was doing it for Judy. I must sound insane._

While Steven thought about her last answer, Brooke sipped on her juice and picked gently at what remained on her plate.

"What's your favorite food—your favorite meal?" he asked suddenly. Seven.

It didn't take long for her to answer. Her favorite meal had been the same since she was around seven years old. "My daddy's grilled cheese with apple juice and a chocolate chip cookie on the side."

"That sounds _delicious_," Steven said. "I want to ask you how your dad makes his grilled cheese but I don't want to waste a question."

"I'll count it all as one in the same," Brooke said. "And he makes it with whole wheat bread, butter, and American. Not the healthiest meal ever, but definitely delicious."

On that note, dinner was finished. The last of the grape juice was finished off and the scraps of the meal discarded. Brooke helped Steven take down the table and the chairs. Music filled the cabin again, and the two joined again in dance on the cabin floor.

"What's your favorite movie?" Question eight.

"I have three—I'm a very indecisive person. Singin' in the Rain, Meet Me in St. Louis, and Winnie the Pooh," Brooke replied. "Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor were absolutely genius in the song and dance numbers. As for Meet Me in St. Louis, it's just an absolutely beautiful film. Winnie the Pooh might seem really childish, but my Daddy always read me the books by A.A. Milne and they've always been my favorite. So seeing the stories come alive is just wonderful. It seems silly when I say it out loud—"

"No it doesn't," Steven interrupted with a shake of his head. He brushed his hand over Brooke's cheek gently. "It's yours, so no matter what anyone else says, it's not silly."

She turned her cheek into his hand and smiled. "Thank you," she murmured. Brooke leaned up and kissed him on the lips. He pulled her close and returned it. Brooke smiled through her kiss and realized why she had told him so much about her dreams that came with American Idol. He did not judge her. He accepted her, and it was a wonderful feeling. He wanted to _know_ her, all of her, no matter how 'silly' it might have seemed.

"What's your favorite quote?" Nine.

"That's a good one!" Brooke said with a smile. "My favorite quote is one by Einstein. It's: 'Everyone is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend it's life believing it's stupid.' It's always resonated with me because I wasn't great in school, but I was good with animals. I could memorize—and still can—any freakin' piece of information about animals, but I couldn't solve a math problem. I always felt like I had something wrong with me. Then I read that quote and realized that like a fish, my brain just doesn't work like that. I wasn't made for math."

"Hm…" was his simple reply. Lost in thought, it was another minute or so before the next question was asked.

"What do your parents do?" Question ten.

"My mom was a teacher at a deaf school for a while and then she decided to become a police officer, and she's been serving for about 10 years now," Brooke replied. "And my father is Phys. Ed. teacher at the deaf school my mom worked at. That's how they met."

She was spun out and brought back in as the next song tempo picked up. "Do you play any instrument and what's your favorite song if you do? That's all one question." Number eleven.

Brooke gave out a little laugh and shook her head. "I used to play the piano back in the day," she said. "But I didn't like my teacher so I didn't like to practice and I dropped it and never really picked it back up. If I had a good teacher, I probably would pick it up again…and if I had the time and money to go to lessons. The only song that I actually liked to practice was "My Heart Will Go On" because when no one was home I would sing along. I played it so much, I could probably still remember at least the basic melody on the keys."

"Beautiful song," he said with a nod. "I would love to hear you sing it one day…"

"Sounds like a good plan" Brooke replied, "If I can remember."

"Who's your favorite band?" Twelve.

"I honestly don't have one," she replied. "I like a bunch of different types of music with by a bunch of different artists. Anything from country to rap and rock and rock and roll, just not "screamo" or heavy metal. It's just too…loud for me, I suppose. Too all over the place. I have favorite songs from certain bands, but I can't pick just one."

"What's your favorite song?" Brooke resented Steven's thirteenth question because she knew it was so cliché. She chuckled to herself, shaking her head a little bit.

"Angel," she said sheepishly.

"Great song," Steven replied with a wink. "Do you have any tattoos I might have missed last time?" Fourteen.

"I have one tattoo in between my ribs on my left side," Brooke said with a slight nod. "It's very small, and it just says: "Live to love". It was something my friend used to say...he committed suicide when I was 18. I've always loved that saying, so I got it in tribute to him." Brooke averted her eyes. It had been 3 years and it still hurt…a lot… to think about her friend Tye. He had meant a lot to her, he had been like an older brother.

"That's beautiful," Steven said as he pulled her close and bent his head down. He pushed her hair back gently and kissed under ear. "The questions are going to get a little tougher," he murmured. "Is that all right?" Brooke nodded.

"Do you drink or smoke or do drugs?" Fifteen.

Brooke shook her head. "I have never drugs, ever," she told him. "Cigarettes gross me out, and I only have a drink once in a while. My mom has a bit of an issue with drinking way too much wine, so I'm extra careful because there's always this voice in the back of my head telling me it might be a hereditary problem. You are dancing with the quintessential good girl."

"Why did you name your daughter Judy?" Sixteen.

Brooke smiled sheepishly. "Judy Garland," she said. "She was always an idol of my mother's, and that love sort of transferred over to me. She's been among my idols for several reasons over the years. I can only hope that I can raise my daughter to be as strong and beautiful a woman as Judy Garland was."

"I'm sure you will," Steven replied. "Because you are strong and beautiful. Your daughter is only a baby, and she is strong and beautiful. And she loves you so much. You are a wonderful mother, and I believe Judy will follow in your footsteps."

"Well I hope not," Brooke said quickly. She closed her eyes, and shook her head, regretting sharing that. Steven furrowed his brow, obviously a little confused by Brooke's response. Instead of pressing her and asking her about her response, he held her close and hummed the melody of the song that played in the background into her ear. She smiled and put her head into his chest.

"How did Judy come to be?" Steven asked very gently. Seventeen.

"One stupid night with one stupid boy who I thought I loved," Brooke replied, her head still in Steven's chest. She wanted to control and hide the emotion that had just overwhelmed her. Steven squeezed her hand gently and kissed her forehead.

"Who is this boy?" Eighteen.

"A boy named Aaron," she replied. She took a deep breath and looked back up at him, locking eyes. "He was verbally abusive and a drunk at 18. I thought I could change him. I was wrong. When he found out I was pregnant he dropped me like a rock. He's tried to contact me since, but I have a restraining order against him. I moved since then, and I don't think he knows where I live—well I hope not."

"What happened when you found out you were pregnant?" Nineteen. Steven had been right to warn her. The questions were getting harder, and eliciting a lot of emotion, right from the pit of her stomach.

"I immediately thought abortion," Brooke replied. "It was my plan. But then I went to my doctor and found out that her heart was beating. I had waited too long…I couldn't do it. If I had found out I was pregnant a week or two earlier, I wouldn't have my baby girl now."

A few tears fell down her face, and Brooke was not having fun anymore. She didn't like bringing up all the not-so-nice parts of her. She wasn't expecting to cry in front of Steven Tyler. But here she was, tears falling down her cheeks and onto his blouse. She apologized for crying and getting tears on his shirt. Steven wrapped his arms around her and held her closer.

"One more, then I'll stop torturing you," he whispered.

"You're not torturing me," Brooke replied. "It's just a lot I haven't talked about with anyone for a while."

"You don't hate me?"

Brooke shook her head.

"Don't lie.."

"Okay, a little right now…" Brooke admitted. "But I'll get over it." She sniffled a little bit and asked Steven to continue with his last question.

"All right," he said, and stopped dancing. He held her at arms length, and made sure their eyes were locked. "What's your biggest fear?"

Brooke paused and averted her eyes to think. She regained contact to answer once she was sure. "Two or three years ago I would have said bees and not becoming a veterinarian. Now my only fear is failing as a mom."

Steven nodded, and pulled Brooke back into a warm embrace. "Thank you for agreeing to share all of this with me. I know that the last few questions weren't the easiest for you."

Brooke pulled away and smiled at Steven. "You know what, it actually kind of nice. I have to be strong all the time in front of Judy. I don't really talk about this sort of stuff with anyone. I hold a lot in sometimes, so this actually feels kind of good."

"I'm glad," Steven replied. "I don't want to do anything to hurt you. I also want you to know that you are a wonderful, beautiful person. Your spirit is so wonderful, and you are going to make a difference in this world. You are so passionate, and so trusting. I consider myself blessed that we had a chance to meet." He leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. He placed his hands on her hips and began to sway back and forth to the music. Brooke wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself closer.

Now that she had answered her questions, there was so much she wanted to ask him. But it was getting late, she would have to save hers for next time. At least she would have time to think out her questions so she only asked what she could consider "important", and also make sure that there was nothing that could possibly be offensive.

"Do you wanna go in the back?" Steven whispered, pulling away from the kiss.

"I'd like that," Brooke replied with a small smile.

The entire date was so much different than the first. Last time, they had sex. This time, they made love. Brooke was baffled by the change, because she had never felt such a strong emotion for anyone in such a short amount of time. She couldn't say she was in love with him—she didn't know him. But she already cared deeply for him, and could hope that the feelings were reciprocated. Their energy just seemed to work.

In fact, it was practically pulsating. Everything was slow and soft. They undressed each other with the utmost care, and they spent a good amount of time just rolling around and kissing. Steven discovered Brooke's tattoo and Brooke found a few more of his she hadn't seen last time. After about twenty minutes of gentle foreplay, Steven gently guided Brooke onto her back. He ran his fingers through her hair.

Brooke smiled up at him. She rounded her back so she could lean up and kiss him. He moved one hand up to cradle her neck as he entered her. She moaned through their kiss and then bit his lower lip gently. He smirked and kissed with more force, laying her back against the pillows.

They climaxed together minutes later. Steven pulled Brooke close to him, and she wrapped her arms around his mid section. A few tears fell from her eyes, there was just so much going through her mind. She felt as if she had let go of a world of weight from her shoulders. And what she and Steven had just done was beautiful. It was simple, but beautiful.

Brooke looked up at Steven to see a tear trickle down his cheek as well. He wasn't looking at her, so she moved her head again and pretended she hadn't seen it. The sight left her smiling, though, because it meant that even if he didn't feel what Brooke felt, he felt _something_. Something that was strong enough to elicit such emotion to produce tears.

That in itself, that one tiny tear, was a very beautiful thing.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

**So this could be considered a cutsie chapter I suppose…I hope you guys enjoyed the little bit of insight to Brooke's world, as it's kind of setting you up for future chapters. Like I mentioned in my last author's note, I do try to keep to as close to Steven's character as possible, so if you see something wrong, tell me PLEASE!**

**I love hearing from readers, so please take a moment of your time and review, if you could pretty please?**

**I hope you are enjoying the story!**

**xoxo  
>Eliza<strong>


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